Documentation Requirements

What Documentation Is Required by a Student with a Disability?

The federal definition of a disability includes a person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities; (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

The student must provide documentation of an impairment and the documentation must show that the impairment restricts his or her ability to perform a major life function in comparison to most people. If a person does not have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity the person is not entitled to ADA protection.

The determination of whether an individual has a disability under ADA is not based upon the name or diagnosis of the impairment, but rather upon the impact of that impairment on the life of the individual.

Documentation must be less than three (3) years old and must contain specific recommendations for accommodations appropriate to the diagnosed disability. All reports should be on letterhead, typed, dated, signed, and otherwise legible.

1. Students requesting accommodations on the basis of mobility, systemic or disease-related disabilities must provide documentation from a physician which:

a. Identifies the disabling condition(s)
b. Identifies the functionally inhibitive manifestations of the condition(s) for which accommodations are being requested

2. Students requesting accommodations on the basis of a hearing impairment or deafness must provide documentation consisting of:

a. An audiological evaluation and/or audiogram
b. An interpretation of the functional implications of the diagnostic data and hearing aid evaluation

3. Students requesting accommodations on the basis of the visual impairment or blindness must provide documentation consisting of:

a. An ocular assessment or evaluation from an ophthalmologist
b. A low-vision evaluation of residual visual function, when appropriate
c. An interpretation of the functional implications of the diagnostic data

4. Students requesting accommodation on the basis of a learning disability or dyslexia must provide documentation of diagnostic testing by a licensed psychologist which adequately verifies the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards or a psych-educational evaluation from your accredited high school.

To receive services on the basis of a learning disability, documentation provided must include, but is not restricted to the following:

a. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
b. Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Battery
c. Description of the functionally inhibitive manifestations of the disabling condition(s) for which accommodations are being requested.
d. Suggested accommodations based upon the diagnosis

5. Students requesting accommodations on the basis of a psychiatric disability, attention-deficit disorder or traumatic brain injury must provide the following current documentation as warranted:

a. Psychological diagnosis as per Diagnostic and Disability Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV)
b. Prescribed medications, dosages and schedules
c. The relative stability of the condition with medication
d. Functional impairments attributable to the diagnosis and/or medications for which accommodations are being requested

All documentation provided to the Academic Center for Excellence, Disability Services Director, for academic accommodation will be strictly confidential. No information about the student or the disability will be released without the student’s written consent.

Upon receipt of valid documentation, the Director of Disability Services will interview the applicant for services, evaluate the documentation and interview notes, and approve or deny request for accommodations. The student applying for services will be notified of his/her status within five (5) working days of application.

Founded in 1899, Southern Nazarene University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university - a service of the Church of the Nazarene. Located on a 40-acre campus just west of Oklahoma City, SNU grew out of several small colleges committed to training people for service to God and their fellow man. More than 32,000 alumni work and serve throughout the United States and the world. Read More